Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi at the Amhat airstrip in Sultanpur in UP
Congress Vice President
Rahul Gandhi is all set to file his nomination from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh today. Keeping him company will be mother Sonia, sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra as the Congress No. 2 seeks re-election for a third consecutive term from the Lok Sabha constituency.
(Track LIVE updates)Mr Gandhi's party, on its part, is pulling out all stops to ensure that the nomination, expected sometime after 1 pm, is nothing short of a grand affair. The district unit has made elaborate arrangements, including 500 kgs of flowers, to welcome the 43-year-old in Amethi which votes on May 7, the penultimate phase of the nine-phase general election.
(See poll schedule)"We will welcome Rahul Gandhi with rose petals. All Congress workers are very excited about his nomination," said Yogendra Mishra, President of the district Congress.
But Mr Gandhi faces a tough three-cornered contest this time around with the BJP fielding actor-turned-politician and Rajya Sabha MP
Smriti Irani from the seat and poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
(India Votes 2014: full coverage)Both Ms Irani and Mr Vishwas have openly challenged the Congress No. 2 to a debate over development in Amethi, but so far he has refused. The constituency, which has been represented by Mr Gandhi's mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the past, has traditionally voted for the party.
The battle for Amethi is also a major test for Priyanka, who as campaign manager, will have to ensure that Mr Gandhi's over 3.5 lakh-winning margin in 2009 is not breached this time. The 42-year-old had recently told NDTV that that she will actively campaign only for her brother and mother, who is contesting from the neighbouring Raebareli constituency after vacating the Amethi seat for her son in 2004.
(Priyanka Gandhi to campaign for Rahul, husband Robert Vadra to stay away)